Ondo Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said he received results of Akure South, Akure North, and Ifedore local government areas with shock despite projects he executed in the localities.
Akeredolu, who won in 15 local government areas in last Saturday’s governorship election, lost those three local government areas to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Eyitayo Jegede.
Akeredolu, in a television interview, said he thought he would win in those localities because he worked in those areas where he said people turned against the APC.
The Governor said he was expecting victory in the 18 local government areas of the state.
According to him: “When it comes to the issue of winning 15 local governments, it’s just a slight improvement of what I did the last time. The last time I won 14. Talking seriously, I thought I was going to win the 18 local governments.
“I’m shocked at what happened in Akure because I take Akure South, Akure North, and Ifedore as one Akure. So, I’m shocked at the development there.
“But I’ll put that behind me. I’ll move forward. I thought I would win in Akure because I worked in those three local governments where people turned against us. But it’s alright with me. We’ll forget it.”
On his estranged Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, Akeredolu said it was God that answered his prayers.
He said the actions of Agboola have taught him a lesson in politics but expressed optimism the Deputy-Elect, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, would not betray him like Agboola.
“The event that commenced this process like the Deputy Governor who decided to jump ship. I was shocked too. Although, I got to know it’s going to happen when I saw his movements. I said okay, this man has made up his mind to go.
“I think God answered my prayer, I was praying for him to go and I think he has to go anyway because you cannot have people who will be there and want to stab you at the back and you want to keep them in the house, no.
“You cannot have a snake under your roof and think you can sleep well. So, it was good we asked the snake to go, so we had to sleep properly.
“So, that’s taught me a lesson in politics. But it’s not a new thing. It has happened over and over, right here in South West, even in the North, everywhere.